Perth Entertainment Centre
| Company type | Public (owned by government and later Seven Network) |
|---|---|
| Industry | Entertainment venue |
| Founded | 1974 |
| Founder | Brian Treasure, Michael Edgley |
| Defunct | 2011 |
| Fate | Demolished and replaced by RAC Arena |
| Headquarters | Perth , Australia |
Area served | Perth, Western Australia |
| Owner | Seven Network (later) |
The Perth Entertainment Centre was a multi-purpose indoor arena and cinema complex situated on Wellington Street, at the northern boundary of the Perth central business district in Perth, Western Australia. It was dismantled in late 2011 during the Perth City Link redevelopment and subsequently replaced by the RAC Arena in 2012.
History
The facility originated from the vision of Brian Treasure, then General Manager of Perth’s television station TVW 7, together with theatrical promoter Michael Edgley. Their companies encountered significant challenges managing large-scale stage productions within circus tents, which motivated the creation of a permanent venue. The architectural firm Hobbs, Winning and Leighton designed the centre. Although the initial budget was estimated at $5 million, construction setbacks and industrial strikes escalated expenses to $8.3 million, placing immediate financial strain on the project.
Officially inaugurated on , it opened as the Channel 7 Edgley Entertainment Centre featuring the Australian premiere of Disney on Parade. Around 1975, ownership transferred to the Government of Western Australia, and the venue was renamed The Perth Entertainment Centre.
With seating for 8,003 attendees, it served as Perth’s foremost large-scale concert location between 1974 and 2002. It held a Guinness World Record as the largest purpose-built theatre with a proscenium arch designed for regular performances. The centre hosted prominent concerts, theatrical productions, musicals, circuses, corporate gatherings, and international events such as Miss Universe 1979.
From 1990 until 2002, it was the home court for the NBL’s Perth Wildcats, and in 1993 it accommodated the WNBL’s Perth Breakers.
Located immediately west of the centre was "The Academy Twin Cinemas," which opened on 17 January 1975. This cinema underwent several rebrandings: becoming "Academy West End Alternative Cinemas" in June 1986 and later "Lumiere Cinema" in 1989 before closing its doors on 28 June 1996. The cinema remained unused until its demolition alongside the Entertainment Centre.
Demolition
Owned by the Seven Network, the facility ceased operations in August 2002. In 2005, plans were unveiled by the Government of Western Australia to construct a new entertainment venue on an adjacent car park site. This new establishment was named Perth Arena in 2006. Demolition work on the obsolete centre commenced on 11 May 2011 and concluded by December that year to facilitate the State Government’s Perth City Link initiative, which included approvals for new residential and commercial developments on the location.